Obituary of Brian Bancroft

Brian Bancroft 

(March 23, 1927 – October 15, 2024) 

Passed away peacefully at home surrounded by the love of his family. Brian is survived by his wife and lifetime partner of 71 years Anne Marie (McIndoe).  Cherished father of two daughters Helen Lake (Ray) and Jean Bancroft (Dan Farago), beloved Papa to Matthew Lake (Emily), Kevin Lake (Valerie) and Julia Lake (Simon), who referred to him as “Mate”. Brian was thrilled to be great grandfather to Ty Lake. He will also be sadly missed by relatives in England and Scotland.

Brian was born in Huddersfield, Yorkshire, England where he enjoyed an active academic and athletic youth. He moved to Birmingham, England and later pursued a career in the automotive industry.  In 1945, at the age of 18, he was called up to serve 2 ½ years in the Royal Air Force, working on Spitfire’s and new jets as a mechanic.  Brian’s professional accomplishments were many. Following a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Aston in Birmingham, he became an Associate of the Institute of Metallurgists. 

The Bancroft family began an adventure to Canada in 1967 when Brian was offered a job at Thompson Products (TRW) in St. Catharines where he worked from 1967 until 1996 as the Senior Metallurgist in charge of the lab. In 1970, Brian gained his Professional Engineering designation after having to redo his exams to satisfy Canadian Standards. He was well respected as a metallurgist and continued consulting after retirement.

Brian’s interests and hobbies were varied and many. He was an accomplished Ballroom Dancer and enjoyed this pastime with Anne until 2019. Camping as a family was enjoyed by all including trips to Europe, and across Canada and the USA. Brian loved fishing, curling, golfing, ping pong, darts, gardening, photography and bird carving to name a few. He loved his two dogs Gabbro and Jenny.  

Service above self was something that Brian took to heart throughout his life. He was a past committee member of Probus and the St. Catharines South Rotary Club. His dedication to the club resulted in him receiving the highly regarded Paul Harris Fellowship medal.

Following Brian’s wishes, cremation has taken place and a private family gathering to celebrate his life will be held at a later date. We are very grateful for the care received from Dr. Mark Prodger, Dr. Rush Joshi, Ontario Health at Home, Bayshore Health Care and St Elizabeth Health. We also thank Garden City Funeral and Cremations for exceeding our expectations in taking care of the arrangements. If you wish, donations in Brian’s memory may be made to Niagara Dog Rescue at www.niagaradogrescue.com.